Parents need to know that Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away isn't a documentary about the inner workings of Cirque performers but rather a 90-minute performance (with a framing story) featuring 3-D segments from most of the company's popular Las Vegas shows. There's little dialogue, and many of the performances are high-concept, death-defying acrobatic stunts. Some of the pieces include a bit of violence (all simulated, obviously, but they do include weapons such as spears and arrows), and a couple are focused on romance and sensuality -- especially the performance from the Cirque's "adult" show, Zumanity (which centers on a woman in a very sheer leotard), and the climactic lovers' duet.

Families can talk about the way Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away is part performance piece and part marketing tool. Does the movie make you want to see a live Cirque show? Why or why not?

Do you think the framing device works? Did you expect more dialogue? Did it feel strange that it was missing?

Did the segments featuring music by Elvis or the Beatles seem more accessible than the ones with less familiar music or story lines? How do the Cirque performances compare to what you've seen in more traditional circuses?

The good stuff

Messages: The only theoretical "message" is that if you're meant to be with someone, no obstacle is too great to overcome.

Role models: Mia is a positive role model because she's willing to follow the object of her infatuation into another world to find him. All of the performers could also be seen as role models for their talent and abilities.

What to watch for

Violence: Mild simulated violence with spears and arrows in a couple of the film's set pieces.

Sex: Some scenes/pieces are sensual and even titillating. One of the performances is from the "adult" Cirque show, Zumanity, and features a woman dressed in a very sheer leotard dancing in and out of a fishbowl of water in a possibly provocative manner. The final aerial duet is beautiful, flirtatious, and very romantic; it ends in a kiss.

Language: There's barely any dialogue in the film, and none of it is strong language.

Consumerism: While it offers an entertaining look at various Cirque shows, the film could also be perceived as a 91-minute commercial for Cirque du Soleil's various high-concept shows, primarily the ones in Las Vegas. Some segments feature music from popular artists like Elvis and the Beatles.

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